Caffeine and Your Skin

Caffeine, “America’s most used drug”, works on skin in the three primary ways: as an antioxidant (fighting future signs of aging), a diuretic (making the skin temporarily appear smoother), and a vasoconstrictor (may help to reduce puffiness and dark circles caused by vasodilation).

Is ingesting caffeine beneficial to the skin?

Based on current research, there seems to be a benefit and a detriment to caffeine. When ingested in daily doses of coffee, Devasagayam et. al found in 1999 that there are enough antioxidants from the caffeic acid in caffeine alone to provide benefits. The benefits of caffeine were affirmed by a 1999 study by Lou et. al which found that oral consumption of caffeinated black or green teas or caffeine alone (0.44 mg/mL) inhibited carcinogenic skin tumors in mice, but equal doses of non-caffeinated black or green teas did not inhibit tumor formation. Although promising, one must note that the average SKII mouse used in the study is 20 grams, whereas the average human is 70000 grams. This means the equivalent dose of caffeine for a human is 1.54 grams of caffeine; in comparison, common doses of caffeine are about one-tenth this amount (0.050-0.150 grams), and a lethal dose of caffeine is only twice this amount (about 3.00 grams). Therefore, at this time, one should not start consuming caffeine in order to reduce skin cancer tumor formation. However, the antioxidant properties of caffeine have been established.

On the downside, Whitmore and Levine have pointed out that caffeine may thin the dermis, as they have shown a correlation between increases in caffeine consumption and skin thickness. As one ages, the skin decreases by about 7% thickness every ten years, so assisting the thinning of the skin with caffeine consumption may make the skin appear older before its time.

What are the effects of caffeine in skincare products?

Topical application of caffeine or caffeine sodium benzoate have been shown by Lu et. al earlier this year to have a sunscreen effect, enhance UVB-induced apoptosis, and inhibit UVB-induced skin carcinogenesis when applied to the skin of mice. The exact mechanism by which caffeine achieves these aims is not yet known, but it may be related to the fact that the caffeic acid found in caffeine has been found to have some antioxidant activity. Topical application of caffeine additionally dehydrates skin cells, making the skin temporarily appear smoother. a diuretic (making the skin temporarily appear smoother). Lastly, caffeine is a vasoconstrictor, and its topical application may reduce the appearance of under-eye puffiness and dark circles, although only those caused by vasodilation. Dark circles may also be caused by excess production of melanin, in which cause caffeine would not most likely help.

So overall, should I drink caffeine or use skin care products that contain caffeine?

Because drinking caffeine both provides antioxidant benefits (a plus) and thins the skin (a minus), caffeine should be consumed in moderation (an estimate: <250 mg) for the skin. In addition, for other health purposes, caffeine consumption should be limited to no more than 250 mg of caffeine daily, as heavier doses of caffeine have been associated with increased risk of osteoporotic fracture, restlessness, nervousness, insomnia, flushing of the face, increased urination, muscle twitching, irritability, irregular heart beat and psychomotor agitation. Wikipedia provides an excellent chart on this page of the mg of caffeine in commonly consumed sources of caffeine.

Using caffeine in skincare products seems to be somewhat beneficial. Caffeine has anti-carcinogenic benefits when applied topically, which works in its favor. However, although caffeine is an antioxidant, it is not a particularly potent antioxidant, nor is it a network antioxidant that works synergistically to enhance the behavior of other antioxidants. For long-term anti-aging benefits via antioxidants, try Revalé Skin or Topix Replenix Cream, which have coffee berry and green tea, respectively, as additional antioxidant sources. Cosmetically, caffeine is a vasoconstrictor and a diuretic, so it will temporarily reduce the appearance of undereye puffiness/dark circles caused by vasodilation and smooth the skin. However, these effects are, most likely, only temporary. Based on current knowledge, I am lukewarm about the effects of caffeine for the skin. For the time being, I would consume it in moderation and only use it in skincare products that have ingredients with other, more established benefits.

6 thoughts on “Caffeine and Your Skin”

Chersays:

Tea, coffee, cola, energy drinks and chocolate share the same nerve toxin (stimulant), caffeine. Caffeine, which is readily released into the blood, triggers a powerful immune response that helps the body to counteract and eliminate this irritant. The toxic irritant stimulates the adrenal glands, and to some extent, the body’s many cells, to release the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol into the blood stream.

If consumption of stimulants continues on a regular basis, however, this natural defense response of the body becomes overused and ineffective. The almost constant secretion of stress hormones, which are highly toxic compounds in and of themselves, eventually alters the blood chemistry and causes damage to the immune system, endocrine, and nervous systems. Future defense responses are weakened, and the body becomes more prone to infections and other ailments.

The boost in energy experienced after drinking a cup of coffee is not a direct result of the caffeine it contains, but of the immune system’s attempt to get rid of it (caffeine) An overexcited and suppressed immune system fails to provide the “energizing” adrenaline and cortisol boost needed to free the body from the acidic nerve toxin, caffeine. At this stage, people say that they are “used” to a stimulant, such as coffee. So they tend to increase intake to feels the “benefits.”

Since the body cells have to sacrifice some of their own water for the removal of the nerve toxin caffeine, regular consumption of coffee, tea, or colas causes them to become dehydrated. For every cup of tea or coffee you drink, the body has to mobilize 2-3 cups of water just to remove the stimulants, a luxury it cannot afford. This applies to soft drinks, medicinal drugs, and any other stimulants, As a rule, all stimulants have a strong dehydrating effect on the bile, blood, and digestive juices.